Kothavarangai (Cluster beans) Parippu Usili

This past year and a half during the pandemic, I came to realize that we can mange several days without vegetables. Indian pantries are normally stocked with various kinds of dry beans, rice, pulses and grain flour, which can be turned into wonderful dishes that is also nutritious. Chana dal, moong dal, and toor dal are extensively used in South Indian cooking. One dish made with a mixture of channa and toor dal Parippu usili. My kids call it "sand curry" because it feels like grains of sand. 

Ingredients:

1 Cup diced kothavarngai (cluster beans)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 Cup toor dal

1/2 Cup channa dal

4-5 dried red chili

salt to taste

1 teaspoon asafoetida

Method:

1. Soak both dals with dried red chili for 2 hours.

2. Steam cook diced kothavarangai with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Allow to cool.

                          

3. In the meantime, drain the dal. Grind dal, dried chili, salt, and asafoetida in a blender to a coarse paste (without water).

                                

4. Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a small cast iron pan on medium heat. Temper mustard seeds,  urad dal, and curry leaves.

                                                                   

5. Add dal mixture. Cook until soft, and doesn't stick to the bottom, stirring in between and adding 2 more tablespoons of oil. Check for salt, 10-15 minutes.

                          

6. Add cooked vegetable to the pan. Mix to combine. Heat for 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

                                            

7. Serve as a side for morkuzhambu or vathal kuzhambu.

                                                                 

Notes:

You can substitute cluster beans with green beans or cabbage. You can make this dish without any vegetables too. 

Another way to cook dal mixture is to steam cook it. Then follow from step 5.

Mango Morkuzhambu (yogurt curry)

It is interesting to see how a dish gets different names in different regions. I am fascinated by the history of the origins of various dishes. Basically, it all comes down to what ingredients are grown locally and available in plenty. For example, this yogurt curry called morkuzhambu is popular in South India, especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu is a yogurt based curry, which has coconut- chili paste. In North India, it is called kadhi, which is also a yogurt based curry, made with chickpea flour paste. Morkuzhambu can be made with vegetables like okra, winter melon, Indian round eggplant or colocasia or taro. While ripe mango morkuzhambu is popular in Kerala, it is not so in Tamil Nadu. Several years ago I got to taste it at a friend's, and started making it myself when mangoes are available in the Indian market. Even morkuzhambu is made differently in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Today, I made mango morkuzhambu, Kerala style for lunch.

Ingredients:

1 Cup ripe mango pieces, about 1 mango

1 Cup fresh grated coconut

3-4 dried red chili

2 green chili

1 teaspoon rice

1 Cup plain yogurt, beaten (sour)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

For Tempering:

2 teaspoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon urad dal

1-2 dried red chili

Method:

1. Soak rice and chili in 1/4 cup water for 5 minutes. Using a blender make a paste of this along with coconut. Mix 1 teaspoon salt and turmeric to this paste. Stir in beaten yogurt. Keep aside.

                                          

                                      

2. Cook mango pieces in a 2 quart saucepan, along with 1/2 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, until soft, 5-7 minutes. 

                       

3. Stir the yogurt mixture into the cooked mango. Simmer until you see froth around the edges. Turn the stove off. 

                                              

4. Add fenugreek. Temper seasonings and add it to the morkuzhambu. Garnish with cilantro and curry leaves. Serve over hot rice.

                                                           

Notes:

Best combination for morkuzhambu is potato, taro, plantain or sweet potato roast. Today, I made kothavarangai (cluster beans) parripu usili as a side.

My mom usually makes parripu usili when she makes morkuzhambu.

Tanjore style morkuzhambu is slightly different from Kerala style:

In step 1 from above, soak 1/2 teaspoon channa dal, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, and 1/2 inch ginger along with 1 teaspoon rice, red chili and green chili. Follow the  other steps in the above recipe.

Instant Pot Rajma

Rajma and chaval is one of the favorite comfort in North India. Red kidney beans, onion, and tomato slow cooked with special spices. Rajma is a great side for poori, roti, and rice. I made rajma for dinner tonight as a side for methi paratha. Normally, I would soak the beans, pressure cook them and then slow cook. Tonight, I made in Instant Pot. It was hassle free. I started the IP and went for yoga. By the time I came back from yoga, dinner was ready. 

Ingredients for 4 servings:

2 Cups dry kidney beans 

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 inch cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, 1 black cardamom

1 large onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

2 green chili, slit

1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste 

1 teaspoon each of cumin and coriander powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder / paprika

1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur)

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

2 Tablespoons Rajma Masala (available in Indian stores)

2 Cups water

salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak kidney beans for 6-8 hours. 

2. Turn the Instant Pot on Sauté mode. Heat oil. Add whole spices and stir for a minute. Add onion, slit chili and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until translucent.

3. Add garlic-ginger paste, stir for 30 seconds. Add tomato and cook till pulpy. Add cumin- coriander powder, red chili powder, amchur, rajma masala, garam masala, and salt. 

4. Wash, rinse, and drain soaked beans. Add to IP. Add 2 cups water, just enough to cover the beans. Check for salt. 

5. Cancel sauté mode. Close the IP with lid on vent.  Set on Bean mode. Wait for natural pressure release (NPR) before opening the cooker. 

6. Garnish with dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) and julienned ginger. Serve hot with roti and rice. I served it with methi paratha and rice. 

 

Notes:

The traditional method of making rajma:

Pressure cook soaked beans with whole spices. Cook onion, garlic-ginger paste, coriander-cumin, red chili powder, amchur, salt, tomato until tomatoes are mushy. Add cooked rajma, water and rajma masala. Slow cook for 1 hour. Garnish with kasoori methi and julienned ginger.

 

Sweet potato roast (Sakkaravalli Kizhangu)

 There are two types of sweet potato, one with pink skin and white on the inside. This is very sweet and hence the name sakkaravalli. The other has brown skin and is orange on the inside, often referred to as yam in the United States. I love roasted sweet potato. My mom use to roast it over coals. I love the smokey flavor and the stickiness. Today I made sweet potato roast in cast iron pan as a side dish for snake gourd kootu. Diced sweet potato coated with oil and curry powder, cooked on low flame. This is a quick and easy dish to make.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 lb. Sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)

3 teaspoons oil (olive/sesame/coconut)

1 teaspoon each of mustard seeds and urad dal

curry leaves

1 Tablespoon Curry powder/ Sambar powder/ Paprika

salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a cast iron pan over medium flame. Temper mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.

                                                           

2. Add diced sweet potatoes, curry powder, and salt. Lower heat to low medium.

                                              

3. Cover and cook until vegetables are cooked but firm, about 10 minutes, stirring in between. 

                                                           

4. Transfer from pan when cooked. Serve as side with sambar or kootu. Today, I served it as a side for snake gourd kootu.

                                             

Notes:

Other vegetables like potato, taro, plantain, and yam can be cooked using this method. 

Tiramisu Cake

 Tiramisu is one of the favorite dessert for all in my family. We usually surprise our friends who are celebrating milestone birthday. I am the designated baker for all the events, birthday, anniversary and baby shower. I have been doing this for over 22 years. We missed celebrating a friend's 50th last May due to lock down. We are planning to surprise her tomorrow. I found out that Tiramisu cake is her favorite dessert. So, I made it for her. Hope she likes it. Three layers of genoise cake or sponge cake soaked in coffee and filled with mascarpone filling. I only made 2 layers today.

Ingredients:

For the Genoise cake:

4 Egg Yolks

6 Egg Whites

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

3/4 Cup Sugar

2/3 Cup Milk

4 Tablespoons Butter

1 Cup + 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

Pinch of salt

1/2 Cup Brewed Italian Coffee for  bath

For the Mascarpone Filling:

18 ounces Mascarpone

15 ounces Heavy Cream

5-8 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar

For the Whipped Cream Frosting:

6 ounces Cream Cheese

3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar

2 1/4 Cups Heavy Whipping cream, cold

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder to dust on top 

Method:

To make the Genoise layers:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 8- inch diameter cake pans generously with butter or oil spray, and line with parchment circles. Grease and flour the parchment too.

                                                         

2. In a large bowl, whip egg whites with lemon juice for 1 minute. 

                                          

Add sugar in gradually, one tablespoon at a time, and whip until stiff white peaks are formed.

                                            

3. In another large bowl, add egg yolks, vanilla, milk, and melted butter. Give this a quick mix, just to combine the ingredients.

                                         

4. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into the bowl. Mix to incorporate.

                               

5. Add a few large dollops of the egg white mixture to the flour mixture, and mix with spatula. Immediately, fold in the remaining egg white, careful not to over mix and deflate the  mixture.

                                                                

6. Divide the cake mixture evenly into the prepared cake pans. Tap to remove any air bubbles and for the batter to settle evenly. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely. 

                   

7. Brew a cup of strong Italian coffee. Cool it.

To make the Mascarpone filling / frosting:

1. Take cold mascarpone in a stand mixer or a large bowl.

                                                

2. Add cold heavy cream and confectioners sugar. Whip until it thickens to a stiff frosting. It should hold shape (not drip) when you take it on a spatula. Keep refrigerated until using.

                          

To build the genoise layers:

1. Brush the bottom of one cake with coffee, using a pastry brush. Gently place it on the serving plate. 

                                                          

2. Brush the top of the cake with coffee.

                                                            

3. Fill icing bag fitted with a large round tip with mascarpone filling. Evenly fill the top of the cake.

                                                             

4. Brush the bottom of the second cake with coffee. Gently place it on top of the filling. Brush the top of the cake with coffee.

                                          

5. Pipe the frosting evenly over the cake.

                                                

6. Using a spatula, coat the sides of the cake with the frosting. Dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder. Decorate edges with frosting if you desire.  Chill for 2 hours minimum before serving. It helps the cake to soak in the coffee.

                                         

Notes:

Recipe adapted from Emma's Goodies on YouTube.

You can add rum to the coffee if you like to booze up your cake.

You can add vanilla to the frosting if you like. But, in Italy, they don't add vanilla.